Fiscal devaluation as a cure for Eurozone ills – Could it work? by Michael Keen, Ruud de Mooij published by VOXEU (4/2012).
Troubled Eurozone countries face the difficult challenge of regaining competitiveness without devaluing their currency. Could a fiscal devaluation, shifting taxes from employers to consumers, help? This column presents evidence suggesting that it could, but the devil is in the detail.
Fiscal devaluation, a PR failure? by Francesco Franco published by The Portuguese Economy (11/2011).
The memorandum of understanding signed last May by the main Portuguese political parties contains a measure designed to improve competitiveness and accelerate the necessary improvement in the trade balance. The measure consists in a budget neutral tax swap: an increase in the effective VAT rate (by increasing the low and intermediate rates) and a reduction of the social security tax paid by employers (TSU). The measure has been compared by scholars, journalists, experts and others (myself) to a nominal devaluation. The idea was that to show that even if the euro has eliminated the exchange rate, euro members could implement policies with a similar outcome to realignments of the exchange rate.
Fiscal devaluation in the Euro área: what has been done since the crisis? by Laura Puglisi (9/2014)
In recent years, the concept of a fiscal devaluation has been advocated as fiscal policy alternative to nominal exchange rate devaluations for peripheral deficit countries in the euro area to regain competitiveness. This paper investigates if countries in the euro area implemented fiscal devaluations in the aftermath of the economic and financial crisis and if so, how these reforms are expected to affect their competitiveness positions. Despite much discussion, no country has yet undertaken a substantial fiscal devaluation. Some (targeted) reductions in social security contributions were introduced, mainly to create job incentives, while consumption taxes (VAT) were increased – in some cases substantially – mainly for consolidation purposes. Although countries could benefit from a fiscal devaluation, their feasibility is politically constraint and effects are likely to be small in magnitude relative to the size of economic problems. Overall, fiscal devaluations cannot be a substitute for deep structural reforms that are urgently needed to address the underlying weaknesses of European economies.
